


Words on the Wind

by echoing_winds



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Bad Puns, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-12
Updated: 2017-01-12
Packaged: 2018-09-17 01:19:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9297866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/echoing_winds/pseuds/echoing_winds
Summary: Saying goodbye is never easy, especially if you have to say goodbye to a good friend. But even after that, the wound still hurts, and sometimes sending a message to the long gone friend can ease the pain a little.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bumblebeeflight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bumblebeeflight/gifts).



> Happy birthday Bee! I hope you're having a good one with lots of fun and presents! I wish you health and happiness for the coming year! It's super fun chatting with you and plotting with you and I'll definitely finish that modern AU! Eventually. One day xD Anyways, happy birthday and I hope you enjoy this little gift!!

"Can you teach me how to fold those paper birds?"

Rose saw Lailah's eyes widening in surprise. Her mouth opened, then closed again. She stayed silent for some moments, then said, "Of course, Rose. But why now, all of a sudden...?"

"Doesn't matter! Just show me, okay?" There was no need to talk about it any further. All Lailah had to do was teach her. She didn't need to know every tiny detail of what Rose was planning to do. It was something special. Something she had to do. Well, it hadn't been her idea to begin with, but it still felt important to her. She needed to do it.

Lailah's eyes were burning with curiosity, but to Rose's relief, she didn't ask any further. "Okay. It's really easy." She pulled out two sheets of paper and gave one to Rose. Slowly, she started folding it. "See? You need to do it like this."

When Rose watched her, it seemed really easy, just like Lailah had said. But when she tried to do it herself, well, the outcome was not as expected. One wing was longer than the other, and the head was crooked. If you squinted, you could recognize a bird. Maybe. If you had a lot of imagination.

"Why isn't it working?" She complained.

Lailah took it and examined it. "Hmm, it's okay for your first try. Just do it again! You need a little practice, but I'm sure you'll get the hang of it just fine!" She handed her another sheet of paper. This time, she helped Rose as she started folding it. Although it wasn't anywhere near Lailah's, it looked better this time. It always looked so easy when Lailah did it. Why was Rose having so much trouble with it? It was just a paper bird, for crying out loud!

When Rose folded the third bird, Lailah was only watching. Still not perfect, but she was getting there.

It took her another and another bird, and then, it finally managed to meet Rose's expectations. Proudly, she admired her handiwork. This would do just fine.

"Thanks, Lailah! I owe you one!"

A wide smile spread across the seraph's face. "You're welcome! You did make a  _ pheasant _ bird there!"

For a moment, Rose was sure she could hear some crickets chirping nearby, but maybe she was just imagining it. Groaning, she scooped the bird up, as if trying to shield it from the sudden outbreak of Lailah's creativity. "Please spare me from your puns!"

Lailah pouted. "Oh, dear Rose, how can you put this  _ bird-en _ upon me?"

Rose rolled her eyes. "Yeah, no, thanks for your help. See you around!" She waved, then quickly retreated, hoping to escape before Lailah could pull another pun.

* * *

 

The full moon hung high in the night sky, but Rose thought it looked duller than usual these days. Here and there, she could spot a window still lit, but the streets of Pendrago were empty by now. Leaves rustled above her, as a breeze got caught in the canopy and noisily tried to free itself.

She sat down on the wall, her feet dangling in the air. Beside her sat the paper bird. Not the one she made with Lailah though. That one had snapped, so she had been forced to make yet another one. While it didn't look as good as the previous one, bird number six was going to work as well.

"Hey, are you still there somewhere?" Rose called out, almost hoping for a response, but no matter how long she waited, everything around her stayed silent. Unaffected, she went on, "It's been a year now. Well, almost," she corrected herself. "I met up with Mikleo the other day. He still seems pretty down. Not that it's a surprise, though. He and Sorey have been pretty close and losing him must hurt him more than anyone else." She sighed. "I mean, I miss that nerd too, but I can't imagine what it must be like for Mikleo."

The world around her seemed to have frozen, listening to her words. Even the wind stayed silent.

"We're all coping," she continued after a while of watching the empty streets below her. "It's difficult but we're managing. We gotta. The world's still turning and the malevolence isn't gonna wait for us." A crooked smile spread across her lips. "We gotta keep on keeping on, right?"

Her vision blurred. "But... but why is it so painful? Why can't we go on?" she spluttered. "Why can't we just go on?!"

A single tear rolled down her cheek, followed by another and another. Her shoulders shook with sobs. The lump in her throat was choking her. A wave of nausea crashed into her, and for a moment she felt like staggering, as if she lost ground underneath her. It wasn't fair. Why did they have to leave behind those precious to them? They lost Sorey. They couldn't save Eizen. They failed to help Dezel. It wasn't fair. What was the point in having saved the world if they failed to save  _ them _ ?

Why did they have to lose them?

Why did they have to leave?

Why did it have to be them?

Couldn't it have been someone else's friends? Family?

It wasn't fair.

A year had passed ever since. So why did a single thought of Dezel still tear her heart apart just as much as it did back then? She didn't want to hurt. She really didn't. But she didn't know what could mend that hole in heart, what could heal the tear remaining ever since Dezel left that day.

If only... If only things had been different... If only she had known about his existence earlier. If only she had been able to tell him earlier. If only...

"Can you.. can you still hear me?" she sobbed, wiping away her tears and forcing herself to smile. "You didn't wanna see us like this, huh? It's okay now. I guess... I guess it's just like that when you have to say goodbye to a friend."

Taking a deep breath, she lifted the bird and waited for a breeze to pick it up. It floated through the air, just like it did that day.

"Thanks for everything, Dezel."


End file.
